Expendable Heroes
by ACMiles
Summary: Spartan IIIs, the forgotten class of the Spartan program, sent out on suicide missions to trade time for the UNSC for their lives. Fireteam Claymore from Gamma Company is sent out on their first mission and they are about to figure out this fact first hand.
1. Chapter 1

November 1st 2552 Covenant Planet Code Named Paradia 

Rain mixed the blood and dirt into a dark brown mess, the sound of thunder almost drowned the drumming of Covenant artillery. Behind a small hill outside a large Covenant city, five ghostly figure stood unmoving. There is one laid out in front of the five.

"Threes, how is she?"A deep emotionless voice called out, almost shouting to be heard over the rain. One of the ghostly figures kneels next to the prone body.

"…Gone," A small voice barely audible. One of the Ghosts yells out and slams his fist into the ground.

"X, can it." The deep voice still lacking emotion, "We still have to take out that Arty. Take your anger and unleash it on the Covenant."  
-

The Ghosts are a group of UNSC super soldiers, known as Spartans. In their case they are Spartan IIIs from Gamma Company. Designed to be expandable heroes, to trade lives for time, sent on missions to stall The Covenants endless advance.

Gammas are special even within the Spartan Program, thanks to illegal augmentations given to them, it does have it draw backs however. In exchange for even greater strength, speed, and endurance during extreme situations, they are prone to aggressive behavior. And with out a drug to counter-out the augmentation, the Spartans exhibit paranoid behavior, making them a danger to themselves and others.

To cut cost the UNSC equipped the IIIs with Semi Powered Infiltration armor, or SPI armor. SPI has state of the art cloaking but doesn't hold up to MJOLNIR. With no energy shielding and less armor plating, Spartan IIIs, ,must rely on stealth and speed to achieve their objectives. This team known as Fireteam Claymore, was sent out on their first real mission. Operation Thanatos, land 6 Fireteams of Spartan IIIs on a Covenant Planet that was responsible for providing metals for Covenant starships. Thirty six Spartans ,between the ages of thirteen and fifteen, were to land without detection at different key locations around the planet and destroy factories needed to treat the finished product.

Fireteam Claymore, is comprised of six members, Fireteam leader Kelvin-G008, was the oldest of the group at fifteen He was orphaned at a young age like every Spartan III, and he has a no nonsense style of leadership. Under his direction Fireteam Claymore just missed out on top honors consideration in the Gamma Company Graduation. His right hand man or woman in this case is Kristi-G145, a very skilled marksman serves as the fireteam's sniper. Tara-033, the sqaud's medic. Often its remarked that she is almost to compassionate for a Spartan. Clay-G010, the pointman of the group, his reaction time is fast even among Spartans. Rickor-G214, explosive ordinance specialist, he makes an art out of explosions. Rounding out the fireteam is Mel-G057 heavy machine gunner. Armed with a M739 SAW she packs one hell of a punch.

Fireteam Claymore's drop was spotted almost right after they broke orbit, the Winter-class prowler, they were attached to was spotted thanks to a malfunction, in its cloaking. The Spartans were able to jump roughly at the drop zone and missed the LZ by only 5 klicks. However, it wasn't quiet and they had a welcoming party ready for them.  
-

Clay hits the ground hard and has to roll to prevent himself falling over. He raises his BR55 rifle and scans his environment the darkness of the night had no effect on his view. He had landed in a small wooded area with out much activity near by it. With no threats emerging to engage he stands and moves to the way point in his HUD. He maintains radio silence and can only hope the rest of the Fireteam got as lucky as him.

With SPI he slides in to the shadow of the trees almost completely invisible, with a trained step he moves silently out of the woods. At the edge and he drops to a knee and lifts his rifle. A Covenant patrol comprised of three Unggoy, two Kig-Yar, and a Sangheili Commander. Clay reaches to a grenade on his hip thumbing the priming trigger, he watches without moving a muscle as the patrol walks right to the woods. The Sangheili barks out a short burst of words, that Clay cant understand, and the Unggoy run out first. Clay presses himself against the closest tree making himself a smaller target.

The Unggoy run past Clay, followed by the Kig-Yar. Just the Sangheili stood on the edge of the woods, only meters from Clay. Silently but fast a lightning Clay closes the gap, a flash of sliver from a knife being drawn is all the Sangheili saw. Clay jabs the knife right up into the neck of the Sangheili, blue blood distorting his cloaking as it falls on to him.

Spinning Clay drops to a knee and before the Sangheili hits the ground, Clay fires threes burst of the BR55. Both Kig-Yar drop and one of the Unggoy as well falls dead. The two remaining Unggoy, turning in panic, just in time for two more bursts of the rifle sending them sprawling. Clay drags to body of the Sangheili into the woods with the rest of his patrol, Once near the Kig-Yar he reaches down and yanks off the shield gauntlet from its arm. He fastens the device to his arm after some time tinkering with it. During their training Spartan IIIs were trained with how to utilize Covenant tech.

Clay again left the woods but this time he was able to get a more clear view of his surrounds. The way point in his HUD pointed east, towards what he made out to be a large city. The City Code named Blessed Groan, was the location of the factory they were sent to destroy. From his wooded area to the city was almost barren plains. He sighed softly, there would be no cover for most of his approach. The rendezvous spot for the Fireteam was over a klick away. Clay waits for a moment but it turns into minutes as he waits to see if any other patrols had heard the fighting.

After half an hour of waiting he pulls himself to his feet and starts to the rendezvous. He moves fast, forsaking sheath for speed. With no cover around he would last long he if was caught in the open. He froze as he heard a groaning in the distant, it quickly grew louder and louder. The sound of a Covenant dropship, Clay threw himself to the ground and laid very still. The blast of noise got louder and louder, it was coming right for him. Clay reaches for his grenade again, but he wasn't sure it would have any effect against the phantoms armor. He would have to lob inside the back and hope it disabled the pilot.

But his fears were unfounded as the ship passed over him going in the direction he had came from. But still they must be checking on the patrol, Clay shot up to his feet and started running. He has to put distance between them, or else he'd be blown apart out in the open from the phantom's front cannon.

The rendezvous is a small cave built in the side of a tall hill, Clay slowed up as he reached the spot. He looked at his motion tracker, nothing. Not surprising if his team was there they wouldn't be moving anyways. He crosses the last bit of distance without trouble. Inside the cave he was greeted to five ghostly figures.

"Took you long enough X." Mel-G057 said, but in her voice was a hint of relief.

"Oh I stopped and meet with some locals, 57. I wanted to make sure it was a nice neighborhood."

"And was it?" Rickor-G214 spoke up.

"It was, well at least until I got there. 2-14, you still got the havoc?" Rickor nods, and taps his back. On it was a large package with a havoc class nuclear weapon inside of it.

"Now that everyone is here," Kelvin-G008 spoke with an air of command. "We can get this show on the road." The Spartans stood in formation waiting for their orders. "We missed the LZ, but that's not the problem. The problem is the Coveys know we are planetside. Everything just got so much harder, and with the prowler malfunctioning I doubt they will rush back in when we call in for extraction." Kelvin rubs the front of his visor, a nervous habit that did little to easy the tension in the air.

"Tough first mission, but with you at the helm Oh-8, we can do this." Kristi-G145 trying to up the morale.

"I know, here is the plan. We move to the city as a group but once inside. Hopefully quietly," He pauses and looks at Mel. Mel rubs the back of her SAW. "Once inside, we will split, X you'll take Threes, 57, and 2-14 head to the factory. I'll go with 14-5 commandeer a Covey ship of some sort and meet you there at the factory. Understood?"

"Understood." The group says in unison.  
-

Rain hammered their helmets until that's all Clay thought he'd ever hear again. The weather had turned on them only an hour after they had left the cave. The City now raised up and into the sky in front of them. They are close now, only a few more hours at their current pace. The terrain had changed from plains to hilly, slowing their progress. The morning sun is hidden behind the dark rain clouds, not that it bothers the Spartans.

Clay walked next to Mel in the rear of the formation, glancing around for any glimpse of the Covenant. They walk perfectly in synced, years of shared training evident in strides.

"You're too worried." Mel states quietly so only Clay hears. Clay lets out a soft laugh.

"Maybe you aren't worried enough. Until we can get inside the city we are just sitting ducks out here. And the rain makes it easier to spot us." The rain made the SPI cloaking abilities around 20% less effective.

"Hills provide decent cover at least." Mel has always been the more positive of the two. Clay doesn't respond and keeps looking from right to left and back again. His thoughts wander to the other fireteams, and he hopes they are having a better time the Claymore.

Fireteam Claymore walks on in silence the City getting closer and closer. Clay hadn't noticed until now, but the city has a wall around it. At least 20 meters tall. He sighs softly, climbing was part of the deal. Claymore was only around 500 meters from the city when, the silence shatters all at once. Plasma bolts fill the sky and larger plasma balls fired from Covenant artillery followed.

"Move! Towards the wall!" Kelvin shouts. The Spartans take off. At this range the plasma bolts were not striking close. But the artillery blasts shakes the ground as the hit and knocks down a spartan. Kelvin stops and turn for Kristi, she pulls her self up and draws her SRS99 sniper rifle. All four shots from the magazine ring out within two seconds. In the distance four bodies fall from the wall. Reloading and being dragged forward by Kelvin, she gets her feet under her again and starts running. The artillery fire is locking in and each blast is closer and closer.

Four more shots and four more kills, even while running. Kristi reloads, gets two more rounds off when a beam of plasma streaks through her. It enters right under her helmet and through her and out the other side. Kelvin grabs her as she falls and drags her behind a small hill. The other Spartans slow a stop and take cover as well.

"They have a sniper," Kelvin comments as he slowly drops her to the ground. Tara looks down at the fallen Spartan. The rain and blood mixes and Tara stomach knots tightly.

"Threes, how is she?" Kelvin asks in his usual monotone. Tara kneels but she already knows.

"...Gone." Clay looks down eyes wide behind his visor. Anger bubbling to the surface. He lets out a yell and strikes the hill. How could a friend be taken away so quickly? Those thoughts and other consumed him.

"X, can it." Kelvin calls out, "We still have to take out that Arty. Take your anger and unleash it on the Covenant."


	2. Chapter 2

November 1st 2552 Covenant Planet Code Named Paradia

Kelvin exhaling deeply, takes a knee and rests his hand on Kristi's head. Another ball of plasma slams into the ground, its getting closer and closer. Kelvin looks up at the 20 meter tall wall, a pit growing in his stomach.

"2-14, do you have the pack of C-12 still?" Kelvin asks and turns to Rickor. Rickor nods and points to the pack on his waist.

"Enough to get past the wall at least."

"Stealth clearly, isnt part of the plan anymore. Claymore, we still have a job to do, no matter what we will complete the mission." Kelvin again looks at the wall and pauses. A brilliantly bright ball of energy impacts so close to Fireteam Claymore they can feel the concussive force in their bones.

"Alright, here's the plan, we sprint it. Get within 50 meters of the wall lay down cover for 2-14. He plants the charge. Boom, from there same plan you head to the objective and I'll get transportation."

"Alone? You're going to wander a Covey city alone?" Tara asks in disbelief. Kelvin nods, he stands in a fluid motion.

"No time to debate, On my mark." Time slows for the Spartans in anticipation of the coming battle, rain hammering down against them. Clay glances over the cover of the hill, from this distances he can see the top of the teeming with Covenant.

"Three!" Clay takes a breath in and gets into a sprinting pose. He can see Mel next to him do the same. His mind goes clear, the only thing that matters right now is getting to the wall and taking down this factory.

"Two!" A salvo of plasma artillery launches from behind the wall, more Wraith mortar tanks have enter the fight. From their trajectory, Clay is certain that this salvo will inflict damage on Claymore.

"One!" Clay exhales the breath, the plasma flying towards is moving in slow motion. The rain turning to steam before it even touches the plasma ball, gives the air a ghostly wavering aspect.

"Mark!" The Spartans dash forward, the plasma passes over head and impacts 15 meters from the hill they were using as cover. Still close enough to cause Tara to slip and be caught by Clay. While still running he drags her up and she gets her feet back under her.

The Covenant defenders on the wall take aim and open fire. From this distance the plasma bolts aren't particular accurate, but the sheer volume of fire still makes the sprint a dangerous action.

"Hold fire!" Kelvin says between breathes on team comm. "You'll just waste your ammo." Clay bites back a retort and focuses on not slipping in the mud. A plasma bolt hits of his chest armor, and slaps across it, but thanks the distance it doesn't inflict any real damage to the Spartan, his chest armor is a different story however. It boils from the extreme heat and part of the armor peels back, the camo it once provide is no longer functional. Clay curses and runs harder, hoping it was just a lucky shot.

Running over and around hills the Spartans dodge most of the incoming fire, the Wraith Tanks haven't given up and are still peppering the country side with plasma. Clay sees a plasma bolt impact Kelvin, but Kelvin doesn't even slow down.

Mel slides into a small ditch behind a hill. She unslings the Saw from her back, and pulls the charging handle back. A torrent of lead pours out of the weapon and towards the defenders. Burst after burst from the Saw knocks Kig-Yar and Unggoy from the wall. The Covenant take notice of her and start directing fire her way.

Clay dives in next to her as plasma begins to fall faster than the rain on them. He reaches in his gear pouch and retrieves the energy shield. Clay actives it, and holds it over Mel right in time as the plasma scores several bulls' eyes.

Tara hefts her MA5K carbine and, in single shot, starts to pick off the wall's defenders. Rickor rushes past her and towards the wall.

"Fire, fire, fire , fire! Cover 2-14" Kelvin shouts over team comm. He drops to one knee and raises his own MA5K carbine. He could feel his blood dripping down his stomach the plasma bolt had inflicted major damage to the young Spartan. And yet he still calmly picked his shoots and cover Rickor.

A Sangheili Field Marshall at shouts out at the top of the wall and points at Rickor. The rain of plasma starts to turn to him.

Clay reaches down to his belt again and pulls the grenade free. He primes it, and with the shield in one hand he launches the grenade side arm at the Sangheili. The grenade flies through the sky and hits the Field Marshall squarely, before blasting the Sangheili into a cloud of gore. Rickor, dodges the plasma and makes it to the wall. He moves quickly to get he pack off his waist and sticks it to the wall. He types into the device and has to clean rain from the screen several times during the arming.

A Unggoy squadron prime grenades and toss them off the wall at Rickor. Rickor, is just a hair faster and is already falling back when the grenades hit the ground and detonate. Rickor dives in cover and crawls back into the side of the.

"Oh-8, charge planted!" Rickor yells over the sound of automatic fire and plasma bolts.

"Once we blow the wall, get inside as fast as you can. Disengage, the enemy and move to the factory. Hopefully you will lose them in the city."

"What about you?" Clay asks between gritted teeth, as the energy shield, takes another hit.

"I'll find us a Covey ship." Kelvin looks to the group of Spartans, and back to the wall his hands reloading his carbine with super human speed. He takes another shot at a overly eager Unggoy, and the Unggoy crumples to the ground.

"You can't fly for shit…. sir," Clay reluctantly adds the sir as an after thought. He reaches to his waist, pulls his side arm, a M6G magnum and aim at a Kig-Yar his shield covering Mel still he fires the pistol the first round misses but the second finds its mark, right between the avian creatures eyes.

"You know I'm the best pilot, I'll go with you." Clay finishes his thought.

"No I need you too take command of Claymore when I'm not there. You are Claymore-Two for reason Spartan." A needle crystal explodes next to Rickor and the shrapnel pings off his armor.

"We are running out of time!" Rickor calls out. Kelvin looks at Clay, making it clear there is no room to argue.

"Alright, fine." Clay mutters, and he turns away from Kelvin and looks towards The rest of the squad. "Once inside the city stay close and don't open fire unless you have to. We need to try and regain stealth." Three green acknowledgment lights flash in his HUD. He sighs and awaits Kelvin's orders.

"See you on the other side Claymore," Kelvin then holds up two fingers and swipes them across his visor. "On your go 2-14."

"Fire in the hole!"

Clay's world ignites in a sun like white fire. All the Spartans are blow backwards and off their feet. A ringing noise is all Clay can hear, and he is slow to get on his feet. Unsteadily he takes a step forward to the wall. The shield is flickering in his hand, indicating an over charge and that it would need time to recharge before being used again. He sets back into his pouch and stumbles to one knee.

The C-12 was shaped charge why was there so much blow-back? Clay struggles to think clearly. Maybe it was damaged in the drop, it wasn't the cleanest drop. It doesn't matter now.

Clay glances around the rest of the team's armor is a bright white, the explosion had blown out their photo reactive panels. The team all struggles to the wall, which is now sporting a massive gap. A 500 meter wide section of wall was turned to ash and dust, and any unlucky Covenant soldier manning that section was as well.

Clay's dizziness recedes, he pushes himself up with one arm and jogs towards the gap. The others follow, he can only tell that from his motion tracker as his hearing still hadn't returned. Covenant troops seem to be even more shaken than the Claymore as virtually no shots are fired at the advancing Spartans.

Once inside the walls the team takes cover behind a rounded purple alloy building. Kelvin motions for the team to split and he moves further into the alien city, alone.

Clay shakes his head clear sound returns as the headache sets in. He points down a street towards the waypoint he sees in his HUD.

"Take the alleys stay out of the main streets." He whispers. The team moves in reply and moves to the front of the group.


End file.
